1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season


The 1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 43rd season of the franchise, 41st in the National Basketball Association and 29th in Los Angeles. The Lakers finished with a 57–25 regular season recorded, earning them the top playoff seed in the Western Conference. After marching undefeated through the first three rounds, the Lakers were seen as the favorites in the 1989 NBA Finals, in a rematch against the Detroit Pistons, who they defeated in last season's NBA Finals in a hard fought seven games. However, after injuries to their starting backcourt of Magic Johnson and Byron Scott, the Lakers were swept by the Pistons in four games. After the finals concluded, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement after twenty seasons.
The 1988–89 season marked an end to a run of eight consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances for the Lakers, the most since the 1968–69 Boston Celtics, as in the following season, the Lakers would lose in the Conference Semifinals to the Phoenix Suns in five games.

Draft picks

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
125David RiversPGUnited StatesNotre Dame

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

West First Round

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Lakers win series 3-0
Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Western Conference Semifinals

West Conference Semifinals

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Seattle SuperSonics: Lakers win series 4-0
Last Playoff Meeting: 1987 Western Conference Finals

West Conference Finals

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns: Lakers win series 4-0
Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Western Conference First Round

NBA Finals

Pistons win series 4-0